The Reed Legacy
by SnowBunnyLove
Summary: Chapter 9 Added At Last! Ever Wonder why the Clow Cards were created? Why Yue doesn't smile? Kero's love of pudding? See it all through the eyes of someone who was there, Clow's wife. Yaoi warning! CxOC, CxY, SS, ET, TxYT
1. The Begining

Disclaimer-No own, no money, no sue.  

Warnings-Yaoi, shounen ai, insanity as only Clow and I can deal out. Could go to a higher rating depending if I want to do lime or lemon for a few pairings.  Set roughly 2 years after the end of the series and the 2nd movie.  Xhao Lang went home to Hong Kong again, and hasn't returned or written to Sakura.

Pairings-CxY, S+S, E+T, TxYT, CxOC

Author's notes-Not too much to say for now.  I have the first chapter and a half of the story written and will update as I go.   I tend to get writers block half way through stories most of the time, but I'm hoping not with this one.  I see this turning into a rather large fic so please be patient with my updating.

Comments, and criticisms welcome.  Flames, unless carefully thought out and well organized, will be used as joke material.

      One beautiful Saturday afternoon, while Keroberos, Guardian of the Seal was in the kitchen happily eating pudding; there was a hint of magic in the air, old magic, but magic none-the-less.  It went unnoticed by the gluttonous Guardian.

      Sakura, current mistress of the former Clow Cards, sat on her bed and looked the book over.  Admiring the beautiful detailing that made it.

      Carefully she turned the book over and looked at the back, noting for the first time that there was a small clasp that fit into the side of the larger clasp.  Curious, she carefully felt along the edge for a latch or a catch.  Finding it, she gently pried the latch open and found that there was a second back to the book.

      As soon as the back was opened, a magical platform, similar to Clow's, etched itself on the floor and the book floated in the center of it.

      Sakura watched in amazement as a magical entity materialized from the opened book.

      Slowly the magic essence solidified into an ethereal apparition.  Standing in the middle of the platform was the essence of a small dainty woman in a Grecian style gown, with her hair done up in an intricate style, caught together with a large blood red ruby clasp.  Large sherry colored eyes stood out brightly against the translucent face.

      "HOOEEEEEEEEEEE!"  Sakura screamed.  This was not another Clow Card, this was the spirit of someone, trapped in the Book.

      "Do not be frightened Sakura, I mean you no harm.  I've only come to answer the questions I know you have, and explain to you the history of the Reed Legacy, and your role in it."

      "You know my name?"  Sakura sat on the bed in scared fascination.  She didn't know spirits could talk, let alone be seen like this.

      The spirit nodded.  "I know everything about you my dear.  The cards told me of this day long ago.  But now is not the time for us to speak.  Gather the Li's, Eriol Hiiragizawa, Tomoyo, Touya, your father, Yukito, and Kero, and meet here tomorrow night."

      "But that's not possible.  Eriol-kun, and Li-kun are in other countries.  They can't get here by tomorrow night."  Sakura exclaimed.

      "Eriol has felt my presence, he knows where I am and will be here shortly, if not within the hour.  Li Xhao Lang's family as well, he will be here tomorrow."

      "Hoe?"

      The sprit smiled.  "Your questions will be answered tomorrow.  Now that I am released, I must gather what remains of my powers, not all magic is infinite."

      With that, the magic essence was pulled back into the book, which clasped shut once she was gone.  The book floated back to Sakura when the platform disappeared.

      Sakura held the book to her and pondered what happened, and why the spirit named Yukito and not Yue.

      True as told, Eriol Hiiragizawa, Ruby Moon and Supinel Sun arrived at the Kinomoto residence in just under an hour.  The usually pressed, calm, and handsome Eriol, looked rumpled and nervous.

      "Sakura-san.  It's been awhile."  A small smile graced the aristocratic features.

      "Hai!  How did you get here so fast Eriol-kun?"  Sakura asked as she ushered the three into the house.

      "As soon as I felt her presence, I cast a transportation spell.  I had to get here as soon as possible."  The young man paused and looked around, trying to sense the other magic.  "Where is she?"

      Sakura blinked emerald green eyes at him, not really comprehending exactly what he meant for a moment.  "Oh!  The spirit.  She went back into the book.  She said she had to gather her strength for tomorrow night."

      A crestfallen look fell over Eriol's face.  "Oh.  I was hoping to see her.  May I hold the book?"

      Confused, Sakura nodded her consent, and lead them up to her room, passing the now pudding sated Kero.

      "Clow-san?  Suppi?  Why are you guys here?"

      Sakura picked up the rollie pollie guardian and carried him up to her room.

      Eriol immediately went for the Sakura book and picked it up, holding it to his chest.  "Millie..."

      Kero's ears perked up, "Millie?  As in Millicent?  Mistress Millicent?"

      Eriol nodded, and almost imperceptibly nuzzled the book.

      "Mistress Millicent?"

      Eriol nodded, "Clow's wife."

      "Clow-san's wife?  No one said anything about Clow-san having a wife."

      A sad looking Kero flew over to Eriol and the book, "She died, like your mother Sakura."

      "Okaasan."  Sakura looked at the beautifully framed picture of her mother that was given to her.

      Further reflection was stalled however when Yue chose that moment to fly in the window, carrying a rather spooked looked Toyua.

      "Where is she?  Clo...Eriol, where is she?"

      "Where's who Yue?"  Touya asked from the floor, where Yue had put him.

      "My mother.  Where's my mother, I felt her."

      "She's been in the book all this time Yue.  Sakura-san says that Millie wants to speak with us all tomorrow night."

      "Yue-san had an Okaasan?"  Sakura asked the tall angelic being.

      "Yes Mistress, I had a mother."  The angel confirmed.

      "Weren't you created like the stuffed toy?"  Touya asked.  He couldn't resist a little jab at the original sun guardian.

      Yue raised an elegantly arched eyebrow at Touya.  "The only thing Keroberos is stuffed with is pudding."

      "Very true."

      A slightly angry looking plushie floated between them.  "Ok enough jokes at the Guardian's expense.  Sakura, why did Mistress Millie say to wait till tomorrow?"

      Sakura blinked at the sudden change in topic.  "She said she had to gather her powers, and that we had to wait for the Li's to show up."

      Touya groaned.  "Not the Gaki, please not the gaki."

      Yue rolled his eyes.  "To-ya, I thought you got over that.  He left the Mistress."

      "Yet another reason to not like him."

      The corner of Yue's mouth quirked up.  "Yukito is right, you have a very bad sister complex."

      "Urusei, Yuki Usagi."

      "Do I look like a rabbit to you?"

      "You do bounce."  Touya thought out loud.

      "Only on..."

      "Ok, enough of your mating habits, the rest of us don't even want to know."  Supinel interrupted.

      Ruby Moon made notes for further torture of Yue, Sakura blushed an interesting shade of red, and Eriol smiled a knowing smile.

      "Yes, well..." the spectacled boy began, "since we have to wait for tomorrow, why don't we catch up on things tonight."

      "I have to call Tomoyo-chan and tell her, she'll be over in a flash if she knows you're here Eriol-kun."

      Eriol blushed a pleasant shade of scarlet at that comment.  "You think so?"

      "I know so."  Sakura picked up her pretty pink phone and hit speed dial for Tomoyo's number.

      "Moshi moshi Daidouji Tomoyo desu."

      "Tomoyo-chan!  It's Sakura."

      "Sakura-chan!  How are you?"

      "I'm okay.  Tomoyo-chan, can you come over tonight an spend the night?"

      "Hai, Sakura-chan."

      "Good.  I was going to start making dinner, so come over when you want to.  Oh, and there's a special someone here that wants to see you."

      "Who?"

      "Eriol-kun."

      "Nani??  

      "Hai, Eriol is staying with us tonight."

      "I'll be over very soon.  Ja ne!"

      "Ja."  Sakura said as she hung up.  "She'll be here soon.  Now, what to cook for dinner."

      A brilliant flash of light lit the room, and when it dissipated, Yukito was standing in the room.

      "Dinner?  I'll help."  The amber-eyed boy exclaimed happily.

      Touya groaned.  "If there's food, there's Yuki."

      Yuki adjusted his glasses and grinned brightly at Sakura's brother.

      "Come on Yuki, let's get dinner started."  The dark eyed boy said as he all but dragged his lover out of the room.  "Oi, Kaijuu, stay here with your friends, you'll just mess everything up."

      "Kaijuu ja ni!"  Sakura yelled and stamped her foot.

      "To-ya has a sister complex."

      "Urusei Usagi."

      Sakura sighed.  Her brother and Yuki were just too cute together.  Yuki had managed to drag human emotions out of her stoic brother, and for that she was thankful, and very happy.

      "Eriol-kun, will you come downstairs with me?"

      "Hai, Sakura-san.  We can talk down there.  Ruby, Supinel, entertain Keroberos."

      "Yatta!"  The little orange plushie cried, pumping it's fist into the air.  "I can finally whip you, Supi, in video games."

      "Joy to my world."  The blue gray plushie announced.

      Sakura left the guardians to their fun and led Eriol downstairs to the living room.  She tried offering refreshments, but Eriol kindly refused.

      "Eriol-kun, how come Mizuki-sensei didn't come with you?"

      "Kaho and I parted ways a few months ago.  No matter how much we loved each other, she couldn't work passed the age difference.  I know about her relationship with your brother, but that isn't so bad as the difference between us.  It got to be too much for her, so by mutual consent, we broke up."  The spectacled boy lowered his head in sadness.  "I miss her, but not as much as Clow misses Millie."

      "I don't understand why she didn't come out sooner."  Sakura pondered, noting the change in subject and respecting Eriol's need for the privacy of his thoughts.

      "From what memories I have of her, she never did anything that was expected of her."

      "Sounds like another kaiju."  Touya pronounced from the doorway.

      Eriol chuckled.  "She could be at times."

      Sakura fumed silently, only because there was guests did she not go kick her brother.

      "Sakura, set the table, since I'm doing your cooking."

End note-I had to cut it off here because the second chapter isn't quite finished and this seemed like a good place to end it.  Bare with me the second chapter is lead up to the beginning of Millicent's tale.


	2. The Players Assemble

            Disclaimer-Still own nothing but Millicent, and my own insanity.  I'm willing to share though. ^___^

            Author Notes-The elusive Xhao Lang returns.  A few spoilers for the second movie.  Nothing too big if you haven't seen it.  Though if you haven't seen the 2nd movie it will ruin the ending.  Though you may not even realize it, cause it's only a small blurb.  Maybe some spoilers for the series, not sure, and probably not many.  I like to take things and twist them to suit my own purposes.  I'd like to thank the 3 people who wrote reviews.  They inspired me to get off my butt and finish this chapter.  I've had the 3rd chapter written already, and got ideas for a few other chapters, but they helped get this one out.  Thank you all very very much!!

Dinner as always, was an experience at the Kinomoto residence.  

            Soon after Tomoyo arrived, they all sat down to a rather thrown together dinner.  Noodles of a varied assortment were piled on plates next to bowls of rice, stir-fry, different kinds of chicken, and a fish.

            Touya was cursing a blue streak in his head over the English group.  This one was allergic to this, that one was allergic to that.  It was nauseating and excruciating.  Thankfully Yuki had been helping him, not only with the cooking, but keeping him from wringing someone's neck.  His kaijuu was nothing compared to this bunch.  

            When the food was finally set on the table, a pack of piranhas would have taken less time decimating it.  He could understand Yuki's rather large portion, but who knew the Brit kid could pack that much food away and still remain thin.

            By the time dinner had ended, there wasn't enough leftover to feed a mouse.  Yuki himself had had four helpings of everything as usual, the stuffed animals gorged on noodles while fending off Nakuru who was trying to get some.  But Eriol, he paced himself with Yukito and surpassed him; five helpings in total went into that slim little body.

            Sakura and Tomoyo prayed they'd be able to eat a quarter of that and still be thin in a few years.  Eriol just smiled and said that casting magic always made him hungry.

            After dinner, when the dishes were cleared and washed, the group gathered in the living room for tea and dessert and to talk.  Predictably, Kero got the pudding.

            Touya took his piece of cake, handed a much larger piece to Yuki and addressed the group.  "Ok, does someone want to explain exactly what is going on, why is Clow's wife in Sakura's book, why does she need to talk to us, and why does the gaki have to be here?"

            "Onii-chan!  Xhao Lang is not a gaki!"  Sakura cried in defense of the boy who wasn't there to defend himself.

            Eriol cleared his throat and waited for everyone's attention. 

            Yukito meantime finished his cake and proceeded to turn back into Yue.  For some reason the moon guardian still refused to eat, even though he could.

" If I remember correctly from Clow's memories, Millicent said she would return one day with a message for her children.  No one had any idea who she meant however, she considered all children to be hers."  Eriol said.

            "Especially the orphans.  The Mistress loved the orphans."  Kero supplied through mouthfuls of pudding.

            "Mother hated to see anyone suffer.  If it hadn't been for her large inheritance I thought she would have gone broke.  She supplied orphanages nearly everywhere, gave street children money, made sure they got food and medicine, and presents for Christmas."  Yue supplied.

            "No matter how busy she was, she always had time for us.  She put work on the side just so she could mediate arguments and fights."  Kero said.

            "Ok, so she loved all children, and you thought of her as a mother, that doesn't explain why she would be in Sakura's book."  Touya pointed out.

            "I didn't consider her a mother To-ya, she helped give me life, she is my mother."

            Everyone but Yue, Kero, and Eriol, blinked.  They had all thought that the cards, the book, and the guardians, were all Clow's doing.

            "But…" Sakura started.

            "Perhaps we should wait to hear what Millie wants to tell us, before we start asking questions and speculating."  Eriol interrupted.

            They all let that line of conversation die, and instead made small talk and caught up with each other.  Though To-ya hadn't known Eriol very well, Sakura and Tomoyo were surprisingly open about the younger reincarnation of Clow.  They spent a few hours talking, and laughing at the antics of the gregarious guardians.

            It was late when Kinomoto Fujitaka returned home from a meeting at the University.  Though it was not unusual for the lights to still be on around 11 o'clock, it was unusual to find several extra guests gathered in the living room.

            Greeting everyone warmly with his customary smile, he inquired about sleeping arrangements, and exactly when his children were going to head off to bed.

            "Otusan, you have some of Clow-san's memories, ne?"  Sakura asked.

            "Aa.  I have a few of them, but not many."  Fujitaka replied.  "Why?"

            "Ano…Clow-san's wife's spirit was in the book.  She came out this afternoon and said she wanted to speak with all of us tomorrow night."

            "Clow's wife?  I'm afraid I don't have a memory of her.  Or I do and haven't remembered it yet.  Do you know why she wants to speak to us?"

            Everyone shook his or her heads no.

            "Well, since I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a very long night, I suggest we all go to bed soon.  Remember, the chore board still has to be completed tomorrow before all of this."

            "Hai!" Sakura and Touya chorused together.

            It was decided after much grumbling and a few protests that the girls would sleep in Sakura's room, and the boys in Touya's room, while the plushie guardians shared Kero's desk drawer room.

            Touya voiced the loudest complaint, only because Yuki and Yue where the only other males that had ever been in his room, and he still didn't really like Eriol.

            Eventually everyone drifted off to sleep.  Everyone but a certain white haired moon guardian, who came into Sakura's room, picked up the Sakura book and took it up to the roof with him.

            Running pale fingers over the back of the book where his symbol should be, he let the long locked away memories of his mother wash over him.

            "Mother… I miss you."

            Clutching the book to his chest, he bowed his head and cried for the first time in over two hundred years.

            Morning came too quickly for those sleeping at the Kinomoto's house, yet everyone managed to scramble down to the kitchen for breakfast.  

Yukito was the last however.  He had woken up on the roof, still in Yue's form, with the Sakura book, holding a large handful of perfect pearls.  'Tears of the moon.' He had thought, as he had placed the book and the pearls back on Sakura's desk.

As usual, Yuki ate enough for a small army, and did so with a face splitting grin and a contented "Oishii!" that made Fujitaka smile back.  It pleased the older man that people other than his children enjoyed his culinary skills.

Plans for the day were discussed, and Sakura managed to be stuck doing most of the cleaning, as Touya had forgotten to mention he and Yukito had to work at their part time job in the afternoon, but would be home around dinner time.  Unanimously though, the guests agreed to help with the household chores, and Sakura thanked them profusely.  When everyone had finished their food, Fujitaka went outside to do the outside chores, Touya and Yukito went to change for work, and Sakura and company were left with the inside chores, which they went at with gusto.  

Sometime between Eriol's third and fourth load of laundry and Sakura's vacuuming, the doorbell rang several times.  Tomoyo reached the door first, and therefore was the first person glomped into submission by a very happy Li Meiling.

While Meiling and Tomoyo greeted each other, Li Xhao Lang made his presence known, and as Meiling's happy yell sounded through the house, the others gathered to greet them.  Sakura blushed when she saw Xhao Lang.  He'd grown taller in the last two years and she had to look up at him now.

Escorting them into the living room, chores were quickly forgotten, as everyone wanted to know how the flight was and what they'd been doing for two years.   

            Xhao Lang quietly extracted himself from the group and pulled Sakura off to the side to have a private talk.

            "Ano…Sakura…you look well."  Xhao Lang started off.

            Sakura smiled gently, "You got taller Xhao Lang-kun."

            "Aa.  Sakura…I missed you."

            The emerald eyed girl blushed prettily, "I've missed you too Xhao Lang-kun."

            The amber-eyed boy gave up fighting himself and tugged her into a tight hug, burying his nose in her hair.  "I'm sorry I didn't contact you.  Mother insisted that I begin duties to the clan and wasn't allowed contact with you because now that you're the card Mistress, the Elders said we had to break all ties with you and your family.  Now that I'm here though, I'm not going back.  I want to be with you.  Four years ago I told you I loved you, it hasn't changed, I still love you, and I always will."

            "Xhao Lang-kun…"

            A crash sounded from the living room.  Sakura immediately looked around the corner from where she was standing, only to find several people in various stages of sprawl on the floor.

            Eriol smirked from the couch.  "They aren't very good at eavesdropping."

            Tomoyo wailed piteously, "I didn't get this moment on video!"

            Mass sweat dropping ensued.

            Mood broken, Xhao Lang stepped back into the living room and went back to the couch, leaving a still rather shocked Sakura to follow.  She had nearly given up on ever hearing from him again. 

            It wasn't that she didn't love him; she had shouted it joyously as she jumped over the yawning cavity of space and into his arms just after sealing the Hope card, but after four years of no word, she had felt her love for him waver ever so slightly.  She had begun to doubt the sincerity of his words, playing them off as the infatuation of a ten year old, but now that he returned and reiterated that he did indeed still love her, she felt horrible that she had even doubted it for a minute.

            Finally, she walked into the living room and took a spot next to Xhao Lang, smiling shyly and rather secret spy like took his hand in hers and entwined their fingers, telling him without words that she felt the same way still.

            Typical Xhao Lang blushed beet red as his eyes widened rather impossibly.  

            Touya saw the exchange and glared ice shards at the Chinese boy.

            Yukito chuckled softly at the display and took his love's hand and entwined their fingers before smiling up at the taller boy.  Touya looked down into molten gold eyes, then down at their hands.  He sighed as he realized what his snow bunny was trying to tell him.

            Shy, sweet Tomoyo boldly took Eriol's hand in hers and held it tightly.  Said boy blushed near as red as Xhao Lang, and held her hand just as tight.

            Meiling watched the proceedings with a grin at the happiness her friends were displaying, and a silent sigh at being the odd one out.

            Much later, when the chores had been finished and the dinner dishes put away, the group gathered in the living room while Sakura went to go get the book from her desk.  She wondered at the appearance of the pearls that lay scattered on the desk, but she pocketed them and brought the book downstairs.  She unlatched the rear clasp and set it on the coffee table.

            As she went to sit next to Xhao Lang on the sofa, the magical platform appeared and the essence of Millicent swirled and collected into the form of the woman.

            Smiling, the spirit's gaze swept over each individual person, eyebrow rising at the sight of Nakuru and Suppi, then pausing longer over Fujitaka and Eriol.  "Only Clow would reincarnate himself into two people."  

The two gave her a slightly tilted head, full facial grin, exact replicas of each other, proving without a doubt that they were separate but similar parts of a whole.

As the spirit's gaze came upon Yukito, her smile turned into a small frown.  "Yue, stop hiding behind the Snow Bunny's face and come out."

A blur of light and wings encompassed Yukito and Yue appeared in his place.  

"Are you going to greet me my son, or are you still angry that I left you?"  Amber eyes, much reminiscent of Xhao Lang's bore into Yue's heather cat's eyes.

Yue slipped off the couch and onto his knee before the coffee table and gazed up at the visage of his mother.  Tearfully, his gaze roamed over her.  "Mother, I've missed you…why?  Why did you have to leave me, us?  Why did you stop loving us?"

The spirit moved and seemed to sit at the edge of the coffee table, long arms wrapping around the weeping angel, enfolding him in the comforting embrace only a mother can give.  "I never stopped loving you, or Keroberos, or Clow, or Daniel."

"If you loved us, you wouldn't have died.  It was horrible after you died.  Nothing was the same, Clow changed, Daniel changed, I changed.  I don't like what I became mother.  I just wanted you, I missed you holding me, breaking up our fights, loving me."  Yue cried out as he wept diamond tears.

"Is that why you hid inside the Snow Bunny, creating a new identity where you could be as you were, always?"

Yue nodded, sniffling.

"I had wondered about that.  I spent much time pondering that while waiting for this moment."

"But Yuikto is his own…"

"No Kinomoto Touya.  Yukito is not his own person.  I created the face you fell in love with.  Yukito's personality is who my Yue used to be.  When the changes that Yue spoke of occurred, he put his personality into a separate part of himself, and that became Yukito, while Yue became as cold and distant as the moon he is named for."

"Who's Daniel?"  Xhao Lang demanded.

"Daniel James Reed was my son.  Let's see to you Li Xhao Lang, he would be your great great great grandfather."

Xhao Lang blinked, great great great grandfather, and the magic was still strong within him.

The spirit of Millicent gently released Yue and shooed him off to sit with Touya.  When Yue was sitting, she began.  Concentrating her magic into an orb that grew and expanded to the size of a large screen projection TV.  "I'll begin the story; I know you all want to hear."  As she spoke, images began to appear within the frame of the magic.   "I had grown up with Clow; we were childhood companions until each of us began to be schooled in our various powers.  When I was seven, Clow, who was four years older than me, packed up his things and decided he wanted to see the world.  He returned for my coming out party at 16, but disappeared soon after.  My tale really begins when I was twenty one and finally found Clow in the most remote corner of nowhere in Wales."

Eriol got a far away look on his face as he watched the images, a nostalgic feeling washing over him. 

As they all gazed at the images, they felt as if they were actually living it instead of just watching.

A/N-Yes I did end it here, but don't kill me, I'm posting chapter 3 right after this.


	3. Our Story Begins

Disclaimer-Still own nada but Millicent and my insanity.

      Author Note-I actually wrote this as the first chapter, but had to put build up in otherwise it would have been confusing.  Enjoy!

      Millicent Supinel stood outside the gate of the sprawling Reed mansion and took a deep breath before opening the Iron Gate.  Normally it would have kept any magic user from opening it, but Millicent was no ordinary magic user.

      The road leading up to the house was at least a mile long, but the levitation spell she used got her there in only a few minutes.  She was however surprised that the Master of the house wasn't standing impatiently at the porch demanding to know who dared cross his boundary.

      Then again, Clow Reed was never known for predictability.

      Millicent adjusted the bodice of her silver Grecian revival gown, retied the black braided rope that held it to her shape, patting her unruly cap of mahogany curls held in some sort of fashion with a rather long strand of pearls held closed with a large pigeons blood ruby clasp, and used her magic to knock on the door, satisfied when she heard the noise echo through the sprawling house.

      She waited, and waited, and waited some more, tapping her satin slippered foot impatiently.  

      The oppressive heat and humidity was starting to get to her, when a hole opened up in the porch and a tall man with long dark hair and spectacles rose from it, holding a sword pointed at her heart.  

      "En garde!" The man yelled.

      Momentarily startled, Millicent thought she might succumb to the weak London female weakness of fainting.  Taking a deep breath she calmed herself and drew herself up to her full height of five feet five inches and stared down the man with the fencing sword.

      "Really Clow, must you go and scare the wits out of anyone knocking on your door?"

      Ocean blue eyes blinked behind the spectacles and the sword lowered.  "I felt your magic when you passed through the gate, but how did you get past my wards?"

      "I opened the gate.  You should get a new one though, the one you currently have is so old and rusted you can barely open it at all."

      "But the spell, you shouldn't have been able to pass through it at all without my permission." Was the surprised reply.

      "You have been out by yourself in the country too long, have you forgotten the party in London where you told me to come visit you anytime I wanted?" A dark feathered eyebrow arched delicately at the absolutely puzzled expression on the man's face.

      "London party?  But I haven't been to one of those in at least five years."

      "I know, but it took me that long to track you down.  You, man of mystery that you are, are easy to lose track of in the blink of an eye."  Millicent poked his robed chest with the tip of her lacy parasol.

      Clow Reed, said man of mystery, was currently wondering at the mystery of this female standing at his door in the most remote sea coast corner of Wales.  "I'm sure, but who are you?"

      Amber eyes opened widely in surprise, then she sighed.  His entire family had warned her that Clow was slightly scatter brained and didn't remember things all the time.  "Alright, since you insist on this, here's a refresher, and do pay attention, I don't want to repeat it again.  I am Millicent Supinel."  She made a polite curtsey to him.

      Clow searched his memory and came up with a obscure memory.  "Of the Paris Supinel's?"

      "Yes Clow.  Though none of my family has lived in Paris for quite some time.  Not after the revolution."

      Clow pondered that thought for a moment before opening the front door and ushering Millicent inside.  "I seem to remember my grandmother taking in a family during that time."

      This was one of those moments she felt like banging her head into the wall.  "Clow, pay attention.  Take a long and very good look at me and let it sink into your head."

      Those ocean eyes blinked for a moment at her forwardness, but eventually did as she requested.  He took in the unruly dark hair, the intricate pearl wrap, the creamy white skin, the sherry colored eyes, the pert nose, and full pouty lips.  He gazed on the graceful neck and sloping shoulders, her full breasts, and shapely curves, right down her everlasting legs and small feet.  He wracked his brain for some small piece of recognition, and he got it in the form of a childhood memory of a small always ragged looking girl, dragging a doll behind her as she trailed after him across the grounds of the London house.  Then another, smaller memory, of girl fresh from the schoolroom at her coming out party in London.

      "Millie?  Is that you?"

      "Of course, who else would have the audacity to barge into your life when you least expect it?"

      Clow dropped the sword and quickly picked the slight girl up and hugged her tight to him.  "Oh Millie I've missed you so.  It's been ever so boring with no one to tell me I'm being a pompous ass."

      Millicent held him tightly, not in fear he would drop her, but at the sense of homecoming she felt in his arms.  "I've missed you as well Clow."

      Neither of them noticed the sword glow brightly and revert into a card and lay next to a card labeled Through that lay discarded on the floor.

      Clow held her in his arms as he walked to his large study, then set her down on the cushiony softness of the window seat.  Taking the seat next to her he held one of her hands gently.  "Tell me Millie, how is everyone in London?  Did you see my mother and grandmother before you left?"

      Millicent looked out the window, unable to bear the eagerness in his eyes, even though she had inconsolable news to tell him.

      Black eyebrows drew together in puzzlement.  "Millie?  What's wrong?  What happened?"

      Tears gathered in those sherry eyes as she gripped his hand tighter.  "Clow, your mother and grandmother were killed in a carriage accident while they were on holiday."

      Ocean blue eyes swirled and became near black as he stared a hole into her.  "Dead?  How could they be dead?  Mother was one of the most adept magicians in the world."

      "The way I heard it was that the spring rains had flooded a section of road that they were traveling on.  Your mother parted the water so they could travel through it, but it required a lot of effort and concentration to do so.  The driver, whom I heard this tale from, took them through the cleared path, but something spooked the horses and they reared and took off running.  One of the wheels hit a rock and caused the carriage to be thrown to the side.  Your mother hit her head on the lamp inside the carriage and was knocked unconscious.  Your grandmother was too weak to hold up the spell your mother cast and the water came rushing back on its normal course.  Both them and the carriage were swept along and drown.  The driver, who had been trying to calm the horses, managed to get them untangled from their trappings and followed the carriage as it went along.  When it finally came to a stop, some 3 hours later, the fellow got off the horse and went to look hoping that they had gotten out somehow."  Millicent paused to dab at the tears coursing down her cheeks.  "He opened the door and found both of their bodies on the floor.  He bundled their bodies up and made swift time back to the family home outside London."

      Clow, never a man for tears, wept freely in his sorrow.  "When?  When did this happen?  When is the funeral?"

      This was the worst part of the story for Millicent; he didn't know it was two years ago his only remaining immediate family died.

      "They've been buried already Clow.  Your mother was buried in her favorite green dress and laid to rest next to your father.  Your grandmother was never truly a part of the earth, her will stated that she was to be cremated and her ashes be scattered at her childhood home."

      "They didn't wait for me to come?"  He exploded.  "Why couldn't they wait for me to come back before they did this?"

      "No one could find you.  You up and left with no trace.  They couldn't wait for you to come home for the funeral, no one would know when to expect you."

      Clow stood up and began to pace the study.  "How long ago was it?  A month, two months ago?"

      "Two years."  Came the simple answer.

      All the frustration at his oft times inconsiderate family faded with those two words and the imposing man seemed to shrink into himself.  "Two years.  Two years they've been gone and I didn't even know it." 

      He tried to take a step out of the room, away from her, but collapsed to his knees, body convulsing with soul wrenching sobs.

      Getting off the window seat, she ran to him, holding him tightly, stroking his hair, weeping with him.

      Clow clung to her like a lifeline.  In truth she was, the last reminder of a happy family life.

      They stayed like that for quite some time, until Clow had sobbed his final tear and fallen asleep in her arms.

      Millicent cradled him to her, plucking the spectacles from his face, folded them up and put them on a nearby chair, and gently stroked his cheek.

      "Clow?  What's wrong Master?"  A deep rumbling voice called as it came closer to the study.

      "Hello?"  Millicent called tentatively, not knowing who else might reside in the house.

      A large leonine head poked into the study and gazed around for its Master.  "Master Clow?"

      "Over here," Millicent called, "behind the chair."

      The large lion padded over, and began snarling as soon as it spotted Millicent holding an unconscious Clow.  "What have you done to my Master?"

      This creature was obviously Clow's familiar, and for a moment Millie was afraid the lion would do her some harm.

      "I mean no harm.  I have been looking for Clow for some five years now.  In the past two years I have worked diligently to locate him and tell him about the passing of his mother and grandmother."  Millie related to the lion, hoping to forestall any attack that might have been forthcoming.

      "Sandiana died?"  The Lion sat on its haunches and looked at her with sad eyes.

      Nodding Millicent retold the story to the familiar.

      "Master Clow always spoke fondly of his Grandmother Sandiana and mother Blair.  How did you get this information?"

      "I'm a very close friend of the family.  My name is Millicent Supinel." She said as she introduced herself.

      "So you're the fabled Millie.  Clow likes to tell stories about his childhood at bedtime.  I'm Keroberos, the Master's guardian."

      "A pleasure to meet you Keroberos.  Clow fell asleep, could you assist me in getting him to his bed?"

      "Uh…sure.  Let me get the cards, it'll be a lot easier."  The lion said before dashing out of the room.

      "Cards?  What good are cards going to do right now?"  Millie asked herself as she tried to stand up with the rather large sleeping man in her arms.

      A minute or so later the yellow-orange furred creature came back carrying a handful of elongated playing cards.

A/N-Yes I had to end it here.  Why you ask?  Cause I got stuck here that's why.  I have no idea when chapter 4 will be done.  I haven't even written a piece of it yet.


	4. Memories of Forgotten Promises

            Disclaimer-Yep still broke, so they obviously aren't mine.  The only character I own is Millicent. 

            A/N- Thanks to everyone that's replied to this fic.  The encouragement has done wonders for my writer's block.  I honestly didn't think people would like this fic.  Also, if anyone wants to be my beta reader for this I'd appreciate it.  

The large lion gently set the handful of cards down on the floor, and spread them out.  Looking each one over carefully, Keroberos tapped two cards.

            "Windy, Float, I Keroberos, in Master Clow's stead, ask you to come forth, release!"

            Millicent watched in awe as a bubble and a wind sprite were released from the cards, and floated in front of Keroberos.

            "Master Clow has fallen asleep and we need to get him to his room, will you please carry Millicent and the Master up."

            The bubble floated over to Millie and the inert form of Clow and gently encompassed them, while the wind sprite lifted the bubble and whisked it from the study and upstairs to the Master bedroom, blowing the large double doors open, then deposited them all on the bed.

            "Take care of the Master, soon to be Mistress." Were the words that blew past Millie's ears.

            "Soon to be Mistress?"

            Float formed a thought bubble and the words, "You shall see in time" were written.

            With that said, the sprite and the bubble disappeared, Millicent presumed that they had reverted to the cards they came from.

            "I should have asked them to turn the covers back before we were set down, but no matter."  Millicent thought out loud as she arranged Clow in a more comfortable position, carefully untangling his robes from his legs, managing to roll him to the side as she removed the heavy garment from him, leaving his breeches and shirt sleeves, then draped the robes back over him like a blanket.

            "Oh Clow, what I wouldn't give to take this pain from you.  Your mother and grandmother were as dear to me as if they were my own."  She said as she smoothed a few wisps of long blue-black hair away from his face.  "I promised you that I would always protect you.  You may have seen it as foolish nonsense from a six-year-old girl, but I have always taken it seriously.  

            I know you're an intensely private man, but I pray that you will not shut me out again.  I have and always will love you."

            Keroberos watched from the doorway as the girl tended to his Master.  Clow always spoke fondly of the impish girl that chased after him and got him into all sorts of mischief.  He always noticed the happy sparkle in Clow's eyes as he recounted childhood promises of love and devotion.  

            It was evident now that while Clow had grown and matured into a man of the world, Millicent Supinel had grown into the love that bloomed eternal.

            The gold eyes of the winged lion softened as he watched the slight girl sit on the bed and hold his Master's hand.  He prayed that Clow's insensitivity and cloddishness wouldn't drive her away.  'She'll be good for the Master.' He thought as he as he padded back down the hall, leaving them in peace.

            It was several hours later; the sun was descending into the horizon, when Clow awoke.  Sleep fogged blue eyes blinked rapidly as the last of the dream left him.  Yawning, he tried rubbing his eyes, only to find that one of his hands wouldn't move.

            Snapping into full wakefulness, he turned to see what was holding his hand down.  

Long, graceful, pale fingers were laced tightly with his own sun-bronzed ones.  Attached to that slender hand was an ethereal girl slumbering beside him.  Dusty rose lips parted ever so slightly as she sighed at whatever she was dreaming about.

Clow watched his childhood friend sleep.  Even after so many years, she still crawled into his bed and slept holding his hand.  Smiling, Clow ran his thumb over the translucent skin feeling its silken texture, then thought of the last time she had fallen asleep in his bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was midnight in London, the seemingly perpetual spring fog hung heavily in the air.  It was the perfect setting for gothic stories, and nightmares alike.

It was the later that awoke seven-year-old Millicent from deep slumber.  Quaking silently under the brocade bed covers, the tiny girl shivered and wiped tears from her eyes wishing the memory of the dream could be just as easily removed.

The nightmare in itself wasn't gruesome, no bloodless corpses, or murders committed, but no less scary.  She had dreamed that she was walking through the gardens talking to her best friend in the world, Clow Reed, when she had worked up enough courage to tell the older boy how she felt about him.  The dark haired boy had laughed at the childish confession of love and pushed her away.  He told her she was stupid, that he could never love a scraggly short-tempered brat like her.

It was at that point she had woken up crying.

Shoving the heavy covers aside, she crawled out of the large bed and dashed from her room and down the hall of the large mansion.  Running as fast as her little legs could carry her; she raced to the other wing of the house, to the third bedroom on the right.  

Carefully she opened one of the double doors and peered in.  Seeing that all the candles had been put out, she went further into the room and closed the door behind her.  Tiptoeing across the floor, knowing feet skirted the floorboards that creaked, then padded silently across the Aubusson carpet then crawled into the four-poster bed that held a sleeping boy.

Even in the dim light that was cast from the window, the beauty of the eleven-year-old boy was evident.  The slightly up tilted nose, high cheekbones and strong jaw.  Long, thick eyelashes that were uncommon for a boy, framed the wide set eyes.  Youthful exuberance had given the lanky frame a solid musculature that only promised to fill out with the onset of puberty.  

All in all, he was a beautiful boy, and Millicent loved him with all the childish love and adoration her small body was capable of.

Slowly, she climbed up onto the bed, and just as she was about to settle into the mattress, she found herself pinned down on her back with strong hands clamped around her wrists in a bruising grip.

"Ow!   Clow, you're hurting me!"

Midnight blue eyes blinked down, then one handed fumbled for the spectacles on the nightstand.  Finally getting them on he looked down at the person that had invaded his domain.  "Millie?  Is that you?"

Nodding her head, she managed to squeak out a "Yes," before tears filled the overlarge amber eyes.

He released her hands quickly.  "What are you doing creeping in my room Millie?  It was cute when you were five, but you are seven now.  You can't keep coming and going here as you please."

Crystalline tears spilled down alabaster cheeks as she stared up at the boy she loved.  His harsh treatment only emphasized the fact that maybe her dream wasn't a dream, but one of her premonitions of what was to come.

"I-I'm sorry Clow.   I was scared, I didn't want to be alone."

Sitting cross-legged on the bed he stared at her.  "Did you have one of your dreams again?"

"I-I don't know.  It seemed so real, it might have been, or it could have been a bad dream.  I'm not sure."  She said as she curled in on herself.

"Tell me what it was about?"  He queried.

She shook her head rapidly.  She didn't want to tell him what it was about in case it would come true, but much sooner.

"Please Millie?  I don't like to see you upset.  If you tell me what your dream was about we can see if it was really a premonition or if it was just a dream."

"You'll laugh at me."

"I promise I won't laugh."

Sighing, Millicent sat up and related the entire nightmare to him.

Clow sat in shock.  The little sprite that he grew up with loved him?  He knew he was an insensitive clod at times, often speaking before thinking, but he didn't deliberately hurt anyone.  Her retelling of her dream shook him to his core.  His firefly was afraid he would abandon her.

Gathering the shaking child into his arms he held her against his chest.  "Firefly, I won't leave you.  If we are separated by time or fate, we will always find each other.  Mother always said we were two peas of the same pod; I couldn't abandon the other pea without being alone myself.  You're the only one who understands me."

"It seemed so real though.  You've been too busy for me lately, snapping when I ask you something.  Then just a few minutes ago, you were mad at me.  It seemed like maybe the dream was right."  Small fists scrubbed the tears from her eyes.

The boy thought back on the past few weeks and realized that because of his increase in preparations for leaving to see the world, he had neglected his Firefly.

"I'm sorry.  I never meant to give you that impression.  You know I'm leaving in a two weeks to study abroad, right?"

The horrified look on her face was proof enough that their parents had kept that information from her.  His preparations for leaving were taking much of his time, and without the knowledge of his leaving, he could see where she would feel he was neglecting her.

Holding her closer, he told her what their parents were keeping from her.  "Firefly, I'm going to spend a few years studying magic abroad.  I'll write you every week and tell you all the things I've seen.  I'll send presents for your birthday and Solstice.  Three years will go by like nothing."

"Three years?"  To the little girl three years sounded more like a lifetime.  What would she do without her friend and guard?

"I won't forget you, if that's what you're thinking.  I'll come back for you."

"Clow?"

"Yes?"

"Will you love me in three years?"  The childish earnestness in her expressive eyes made him love her even more than he already did.

"I'll love you always Firefly."  He replied honestly.

Sighing, she snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes.

Clow took off his spectacles and set them on the side table before lying down, tucking Millie in close to him and pulling the covers over them.

Millie fell asleep in no time at all, and Clow not long after.  At some point during the night their hands twined together in a loving hold.

Clow remembered that he had stayed away longer than the three years as promised.  He wrote sporadically, and rarely remembered her birthday let alone Solstice.  When he had returned, he was sixteen and in the throws of a youthful infatuation with Kabuki actress.  His father had tried to remind him of Millie and his promise that he would always love her, which had caused an argument of Reed proportions.  Meaning that near everyone on the property had heard the shouting.

He had stormed out of the house swearing to never return.  He had seen his mother and grandmother, but hadn't even inquired about Millicent.

True to his word, he hadn't been back to that house.  His father had passed away the year after that, he showed up briefly for the funeral, not seeing hide nor hair of Millie.

It wasn't until Millie's first Season in London that he had come back.  It took an order from his grandmother to get him there.

And now she had spent years tracking him down to tell him his mother and grandmother had passed.  He had forgotten all about her except for bedtime stories for Keroberos, and she had never wavered in her devotion.

"I have wronged you Firefly, and you still come to me.  I suppose I was right all those years ago.  Neither time nor fate will keep us apart for long."

A/N- will work on chapter 5 tomorrow.  I'm surprised, but this chapter only took me 2 hours to write.  Guess lighting those candles for atmosphere helped after all.


	5. Sometimes It's Good

            Disclaimer-I own Millicent, that's all

            A/N-Wow, this story is really just writing itself.  Thanks for all the support for this fic.  It's going to take at least 2 more chapters to get more into things that will seem more familiar, card creation and Clow weirdness.  I'm looking at Chapter 6 or 7 pausing in the past reflection and having the CCS crew asking a few questions.  So for those that aren't happy with the lack of CCS pairings.  And for the people that e-mailed and asked if Millicent was a shameless self insertion, nope, not in the least.  I think characters are better when they're modeled after someone else; in this case Millicent is modeled after my best friend.

            The next few weeks saw a drastic change in the Reed household.  Rousing arguments and joyous laughter rang through the halls, as Millicent became part of the daily life.

            With so many years spent by himself, Clow had forgotten the trouble of having a woman around the house.

            Millicent cleaned, everything.  The destruction that was the inner sanctum of his workroom was now tidy and sparkling.  Ideas that had formerly been on scraps of paper were now meticulously copied into a notebook.  It was a wonder it had made any sense to Millicent, when Clow could barely read his hasty scrawl.

            Everything that had a place was in it, and if it didn't have a place or one couldn't be found or used, it was discarded.

            The house in all had never been so clean, and with the rearrangement of various items, Clow became lost on more than one occasion.  This more often than not resulted in a long and loud argument, which Millicent won.

            On the other hand, Millicent was a godsend in the kitchen.  Clow employed a local elderly village woman, the wife of his gardener, to cook for him, at a rather hefty monthly salary, because the man himself couldn't cook.  For all the mystical powers at his command, he scorched pots of boiling water, blew up eggs, and burned things beyond recognition let alone consumption.

            Mrs. O'Leary was downhearted when Millicent informed her that she would be relieved of her cooking duties.  For all Clow's bluster and temper, he really was a sweet man, and she genuinely liked him, often treating him more like a son than an employer.  Her sadness was short lived, because moments later Millicent informed her that her salary would continued to be paid in full with a bonus for having to put up with years of Clow's rather unique temperament, with the stipulation that the gardens would continue to be cared for.

            The matronly woman chuckled as she watched the vibrant woman take Clow to task for not only being cheap, but being difficult.

            All the man could do was nod and agree.

            Mrs. O'Leary cheerfully informed the village that Clow was like any other man, and could be taken down a few pegs by his ladylove.

            Clow whined for days after he heard that.  "I wanted them to fear me.  This just takes all the fun out of being one of the most powerful magician's in the world."

            "Yes dear."  Was the reply.

            One wintry evening, while Clow sat in his favorite red velvet chair, Millicent beside him on the divan before the fire, the fiery haired girl brought a painfully touchy subject.

            "Clow, I've arranged for us to go to London.  I think you should go to see your mother's grave, to pay your respects."

            Ocean blue eyes turned midnight black in anger.  "How dare you!"

            Amber held midnight coolly, "I dare because I love you.  I dare because you won't stop being plagued with nightmares until you've gone to say your good-byes."  Millicent went and knelt before his chair, hands placed gently on his knees.  "Please Clow.  It's tearing you up inside, I see it every time you pass her portrait in the hall.  Hear it every time you call for her in your dreams.  No matter how deep you try to push the pain, it won't lessen until you go say good-bye."

            "I don't want it to lessen Millie.  If I go see mother's grave, it really means I'll never see her again on this earth.  I don't want to let her go.  I had angry words with her before I went back to China."

            "I know, I know exactly how you feel, but you can't put it off forever.  It only hurts more as time passes.  You need to begin the healing."  She said as she laid her head on her thigh.

            Clow thread his fingers through the silky hair.  "I'm sorry Millie.  I forgot you lost your parents."

            Smiling softly, Millicent took his other hand and held it.  "They never truly leave you, you just can't see them anymore.  That doesn't mean they aren't watching you."

            "Is that how you manage to go on?  And why you talk out loud when you think no one is listening?"

            Millicent mock glared at Clow.  "Yes Clow, that's why I talk out loud.  I know mother and father are listening to me.  You can feel it in the air, feel their spirits."

            Sighing heavily, the regal man nodded.  "As you will Millicent.  We will leave for London as soon as the coach arrives."

            "Good, then you'll be ready at first light."

            "Millie!"

            "What?"  Amber eyes blinked innocently.  

            "Fine, I will be ready at first light.  Keroberos will not be happy in the least."

            "Oh, don't forget to tell Kero that his wings have to go before we arrive."

            "Yes yes Millie.  Goodnight to you, Firefly."

            "Goodnight Clow."

            At first light, the occupants of the Reed house grumbled and were generally displeased with being awake.  Well the males were anyway.  Clow was silently cursing Millicent's bubbly air.  

            The Reed family coach arrived just after they had finished breakfast.  Millicent went out to say hello to the driver, and to supervise the loading of the luggage, leaving Clow to do the dishes.  Yet another thing that set him to cursing like a sailor.  Keroberos chided him that he was just lucky Millicent hadn't heard him, or he would be sitting outside with the driver for the entire trip.

            Clow glowered at his creation and informed the beast that it would be spending the entirety of the trip outside with the driver if he made one more remark.  Keroberos quietly went to go wait in the carriage, taking an entire seat for himself.

            Clow tapped his fingers on the counter and stared at the quantity of dishes that needed to be washed and put away.  

            "I need soap.  Where does she keep the soap?"  He searched high and low, but couldn't find anything that resembled the container of soapy stuff.  

            "Ah the hell with it."  Was the muttered response to the lack of soap.  The magician was rather incensed that he was reduced to washing dishes, so like any brilliant magician and inventor, he pulled out a blank card that he carried in case inspiration struck him, fumbled in his robes for his enchanted quill, then began drawing up a card, and upon it's completion spoke his incantation.

            "Card created by Clow, I command you to lose this form and be born as I have drawn.  Bubbles!  Release!"  The magic platform appeared under Clow and the card, and when the words were spoken, Clow tapped the card with his staff and watched his newest creation being born.

            Magic swirled around the card and it slowly shimmered and stretched according to the shape and design it was given.

            Bubbles floated in front of Clow, head bowed low in supplication.  "What would you have of me Master?"

            "I need to do the dishes, but I don't have any blasted soap.  I can't get them clean without soap, so if you would be so kind as to get the water and dishes soapy I'd appreciate it."  Clow said as he pointed to the stack of dishes in the washing tub.

            Bubbles floated over to the washing tub and swirled her hands in the water, creating a foamy froth of bubbles.

            "Is that all the Master requires?"

            "Uh…yes, for the moment.  You know, that gives me an idea for bathing Keroberos."  Clow pondered as he stared at the mound of soap bubbles.

            Nodding her head, Bubbles quietly went back to her card form and lay on the counter top near the washing tub.

            Clow had the dishes done in record time and was outside just as the driver was loading the last of the bags into the luggage rack.

            "All done?  So soon?"  Millicent asked as she watched him descend the front stairs.

            "All done."  Clow narrowed his eyes behind his spectacles.  "Why?  Was I not supposed to be done so soon?  What exactly did you pack that I'm not supposed to see?"

            "Nothing.  I didn't exactly come with a lot so I can't very well leave with a lot, now can I?"

            "You're hiding something Firefly, and I want to know what it is."  Clow demanded.

            "You're imagining things Clow.  I'm not hiding anything."  

            "Mmhhmmm."  Was the noncommittal reply as Clow inspected the carriage and everything in it.

            A half hour later, Clow was stumped, nothing out of the ordinary at all.  No pilfered knickknacks, nothing that shouldn't have been there.

            "Are you satisfied now?"  Millicent demanded with snapping eyes.

            "You weren't hiding anything."  Came the surprised reply.

            "I told you that in the first place, but you didn't believe me.  Instead you searched through everything, including my bag of undergarments."  The satin slippered foot tapped angrily on the ground.

            "But you were surprised to see me finished so soon, it aroused suspicions."  Clow felt rather sheepish that he was proven wrong.

            "Of course I was surprised, you finished your chores in record time.  You hate chores, you piddle when you do chores.  I expected you to be at least another half of an hour before you were finished."

            "Not quite.  I had some help.  I couldn't find the soap, so I created a soapy card."  He said as he brushed his hair off his shoulder.

            "Card?  A soap card?  That is so entirely like you.  Instead of asking where the soap is, you waste magic on creating a soap card.  And how does this card work?  Do you rub it in the water and it makes bubbles?"

            "Far from it.  You need the incantation and staff to release the magic in the card."  The Reed heir stated as he pulled out his small number of cards and miniaturized staff.

            "Incantation?  To get bubbles?  Really."  Millicent took the cards from Clow and examined them.  "You put your magic into these?  It seems rather like a waste.  Especially when you can do the work manually."

            "Why do all the work when you can have help?"  Clow shrugged his shoulders.

            "And yet you wonder why your family scolded you on your use of magic.  Well, what's done is done.  Show me what these things do."

            "Really?  You want to see?"

            "Yes, I want to see what exactly they do."

            Clow smiled happily, he believed that the cards he was inventing were to be the pinnacle of his magic.  Taking the twelve cards from her, tossed them out in front of him where they spread out and glowed.  "Cards made by Clow, I command you to lose this form and reveal yourselves!  Bubbles! Fly!  Thunder!  Sword!  Mist!  Float!  Move!  Little!  Maze!  Return!  Dash!  Big!  RELEASE!"  

            The platform appeared under his feet, Clow held his staff under the line of cards, and once the incantation was spoken, all the cards grew according to their shape.  The human and animal forms bowed low to Clow.

            Good day Master, what would you have of us?"  The humanoids chorused.

            "Nothing really, but Millie wanted to see you."

            Millicent stood next to Clow in shock.  These cards had other forms, had their own powers, they were…cute.

            "Well, what do you think of them?"  Clow asked, Millicent's approval or disapproval carried a lot of weight, and her rejection would deal a huge blow to his confidence.

            "Kawaii!!!!"  Millicent exclaimed, rushing over to thoroughly look over the card forms.  "Do you think for yourselves, or did Clow just give you a set of things to say?"

            "We think for ourselves, soon to be Mistress."

            "Soon to be Mistress?  What makes you say that?"  Clow demanded.

            "That we can not say Master, all will be revealed in time."

            "Interesting."  Millicent pondered.

            "If that is all you would have of us Master, we will return to our card forms."

            "Good good, as you were."

            With that, the cards returned to their card forms and stacked themselves in Clow's palm.

            "Soon to be Mistress.  What are you planning Clow Reed."  Millie asked herself softly.

            Clow meanwhile tucked the cards into an inside pocket of his robe, and shrunk his wand.  "Are we ready to go now?"

"Not so fast.  I want to make a card."

"Excuse me?  You want to make a card?  Why?"  Was the incredulous cry.

"Why not?  I want to see how it works, so hand over a card and a pen."  Millicent demanded, hand outstretched and waiting.  "You can't deny me, not when I waited nearly a half of an hour for you to finish scrutinizing every little thing I packed, just to make sure that none of it actually belonged to you.  I swear I felt like I was being treated as a common thief."

Clow couldn't help but wince.  While he didn't exactly want Millicent to play around with his magic cards, he had created a situation that the only appeasement would be to allow her to create a card of her own.  And so, very reluctantly, Clow handed her a blank card and his enchanted quill, which were grabbed hastily as Millicent jumped into the carriage and closed the door.

"Ye got yerself into a fine mess young Master."  The coachman chuckled.  "A fine mess."

"What is it about woman, Biggs?  They make you act so irrationally.  If any other female had demanded the same, I would have refused outright, but her, I can't seem to say no to her.  I've never won an argument with her, I doubt I ever will either, but why do I always feel like I'm wrong?"  Clow asked.  His mother had never acted like this, and the Millicent of his childhood certainly never acted like this.  

"Master Clow, she's a woman, a fine woman at that, but a woman all the same.  They all act like this when they want something from ye."  The coachman stated knowledgably.

"What do you suppose she wants from me?"  His blue eyes big behind the spectacles, waiting for the wisdom of the ages to be imparted to him, even if it was from the family coachman.

"Why what every woman wants.  She wants ye ta wed her."  Was the simple statement.

"Wed her!  Not no way, not no how.  I'm not even thirty yet.  I'm not contemplating marriage for years yet."  The startled Reed heir waved his hands frantically, shaking his head no.

This made the coachman laugh outright, "Laddie, ye willne have a choice when the time comes."

Clow scowled darkly and began pacing and muttering while Millicent was doing only God knows what with his card.  Some days it was hard being a magician.

Some minutes later the triumphant girl emerged, waving the card around.

"Here, now make it appear."  She demanded smiling.

Clow dubiously took the card from her and repeated the incantation, "Release!  Flower?"

The magical entity began to take shape, and Clow could only shake his head.

The flower girl began dancing, and immediately it began raining cherry blossoms.

Smiling, Millicent bowed to Clow and held out her hand.  Clow dipped a small curtsy and put his hand in hers with a cheeky grin.  Millicent returned the smile and they began dancing in the petals.

Keroberos poked his head out of the carriage and watched them.  "She's leading him."  He said in amazement.

Biggs laughed quietly so as not to break the moment.  "She always has.  Master Clow has two left feet on the dance floor, but Mistress Millie floats, that's why she'll lead him.  It won't just be on the dance floor that she'll lead him either my friend, a merry chase it'll be."

Biggs, the coachman, had been with the Reed family his entire life.  He watched the former Master and Mistress Reed raise their son as normally as possible in a rather eccentric family.  After all, not everyone could claim to be the most powerful magic family in the Western practice.  Talking to animal familiars that talked back was as normal as teatime.

The now elderly man had watched the budding romance between the two childhood friends, everyone had actually.  On Millicent's fourth birthday, she had declared her interest on marrying the gangly youth.  The Reeds had despaired that the years Clow was away would drive Millicent away and into marriage with a man who didn't possess wanderlust.  Quite to the contrary though, the determined girl never wavered in her love or devotion to Clow.

Mistress Millie was tough as nails, once she got an idea in her mind, come hell or high water, she would see it through.  Which would explain the five years spent searching for the illusive man.

It warmed the old man's heart to see them picking up where they had left off a decade earlier.  The pair was a striking contrast, from looks to personality and magic.  Clow's dark hair and eyes were sharp against the stark paleness of his skin.  No matter how much time he spent in the sun it never darkened.  His temperament was like ice, slow to anger, easy to soften.  Though it could be unforgiving and cruel at times, nothing held his temper long.

Millicent however was fire.  Blazing hair, eyes like glowing embers, and a temper like a wildfire.  Everything she did was passionate.

Like their personalities, their magic complimented and balanced them.  Clow claimed the power of the sun, Millicent that of the moon.  Perfect balance and harmony, Ying and Yang Clow's Easter master would say.

The couple danced and twirled obliviously in the shower of petals, laughing and generally enjoying themselves.  An ever-oblivious Keroberos however, ruined the mood.  

"Come on already, can we leave now?"

Giggling, Millicent ended the dance and thanked Flower, who went back to her card form and slid easily into the pocket of Clow's robe.

"Your impatient beastie bellows, and we must obey its call."

"Indeed, but now the beastie gave up his comfortable seat inside the carriage, and will now spend the journey as a tom cat and sit outside with Biggs."

"What?  No, you can…. rrrrrrrowww."  The exclamation was cut off as Clow turned his leonine familiar into a fat tomcat.

The amber-eyed girl picked up the hissing cat and pet it lovingly.  "You need to work on timing and tact, then you won't end up like this."

"Either way, it really is time to go now, since you were so insistent about leaving in the morning.  Give Kero over to Biggs and we can be off."  The dark haired man said, motioning for the older man to take the cat.

"It's alright Clow.  I think this is sufficient punishment.  He can sit with us inside, otherwise I'd worry about him."

Clow picked Kero-cat up by the scruff of the neck and held him at eye level.  "You're infinitely luck she's on your side, and I can't say no to her."

Kero, unable to speak out, cast an "I'm sorry" look at his master.  A look that Clow sighed at put the cat in the carriage before holding his hand out to help Millicent in.

She eagerly accepted the helping hand in.  Clow followed moments later, scowling deeply at the cat sprawled out in every direction over the width of one side of the carriage.  This left only one seat open, the seat next to Millie.

The magician held a momentary debate on whether to kiss or kill his familiar.

A scowl won out briefly, before it evaporated under the searing smile Millicent Supinel was casting at him.  There was power in that smile.  The power to make a man feel like he owned the world, and that he could do anything if he put his mind to it.

Sometimes it was good to be a magician.

A/N-I decided that Chapter 7 will be a pause and allow the characters we all know a chance to put their 2 cents in.  Thanks for the reviews.  They're really encouraging.


	6. Jolly Old London, or Matchmakers Market

I undDisclaimer-If you know the name from the series or the manga, it's safe to say they aren't mine.

Author Notes-Thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far, but it's the next past 2 chapters I haven't been sure about.  I haven't gotten much response to them and I'm nervous that people aren't enjoying or even reading this.  So if you're reading this and you like/hate it, please just leave a note that says so.

            Chapter 6: Jolly Old London, or Matchmakers Marketplace

            The four-day trip to London turned into a week and a half.  The in climate weather caused them to make frequent stops at inns.  Clow scowled at every copper he had to put down.  It wasn't that he was a stingy man, far from it, but he disliked having to stay at inns he wasn't familiar with, and wasn't able to protect Millicent in.

            Yes, she could take care of herself, and had for many years.  There was no stopping Clow from thinking he could protect her better though.

            The first few days she thought it was cute, but staring down any man that so much as glanced her way was going over the top.  She asked him to stop, told him to stop, pleaded with him, even reduced herself to begging, but he ignored it.  Saying he was keeping her safe.  It drove her crazy, to the point she wanted to wring his neck.

            They were both in a foul mood by the time they reached the outskirts of London.  It got worse though when it began to pour sheets of rain in a sudden downpour as they ascended the stairs of the Reed town house.  Needless to say, they were soaked to the bone in mere seconds.

            Millicent's tinkling laughter echoed through the foyer, Clow wasn't happy.

            "I fail to see the humor in this."  He informed her as he wrung the water out of his heavy robes.

            "That's your problem.  You fail to see the humor in a lot of things."  Was heard from the central staircase.

            Looking up, they were both greeted by an elderly man in mourning clothes.

            "Grandfather."  Breathed Clow.  Moments later he shrugged out of his robes and raced up the staircase, embracing the man heartily.  "Grandfather, I'm so sorry I wasn't here for everything.  I didn't even know until a few weeks ago."

            "Well that's neither here nor there, now is it."  The shorter man said, returning the embrace.

            "Where's everyone else?  The house seems empty."  Millicent's eyes scanning around as she ascended the stairs to greet Damien Reed.

            Greeting the girl warmly, Damien informed them that the house had been empty since just after the funerals.

            "But you'll be here now to bring life back to this old house."

            "Actually," Clow began sheepishly, "I wasn't planning on staying more than a few weeks."

            "Nonsense my boy, the Season has begun.  Everyone in the ton will have heard of your arrival by tonight.  Invitations to balls will be flooding the receiving box by morning chocolate.  You're both stuck here until the Hunt Ball."  The balding man said as he led them to their rooms.

            "The Hunt Ball?"  Clow bellowed.  "That's months away!"

            His calmer half placed a hand on his arm.  "I'm sure we can slip away sooner than that.  So we attend a few balls while we're here, what harm can it do?"

            "What harm?  Every matchmaking mother will be eyeing me as the catch of the day.  That's what's wrong."

            "Really Clow, do you think it will be that bad?  You make them sound like common fishmongers." {1} 

            "Millie, I'm rich, I'm single, and I'm not ugly."

            "Hm, good point.  They'll be displaying their best wares for you."

            "Millie!  It's not funny.  I'm quite happy being a bachelor.  Besides, I'm much too young to settle down with a wife and children."

            "Well what if I posed as your fiancé?  No matchmaking mothers, no gold diggers, and nobody else will bother you with propositions."

            "You're a bloody genius Millicent Supinel.  Why didn't I think of it before?"  The longhaired man exclaimed happily.

            "Mind your tongue Clow, and the reason you didn't think of it is because you're a man.  Beyond that, you're a magician, it's a wonder you can think and breathe all at the same time."  She said teasingly.

            "What does that say about you then?  You're a magician and you spent 5 years searching for me.  Doesn't say much about your sense of direction or your spell casting.  Any locator spell would have found me in no time flat."  He retorted, not quite getting that she had been joking.

            Millicent sucked in a deep, shocked breath.  "Goodnight gentleman."

            Clow watched her march defiantly down the hall to her room, a confused look plastered on his face.  "I have this feeling I just said something I'm going to regret."

            "That you did lad, that you did.  She's going to make your life hell on earth for days to come."  His grandfather said, wisely staying out of the way.

            "I also have this feeling mother is frowning at me right now, you know the look.  The "you've done it again Clow" look."

            Damien nodded.  "You know that's exactly the look she'd give you.  What on earth possessed you to say something like that?  You should feel honored that she would spend that long looking for your sorry hide."

            "I never said I wasn't."  Clow said defensively.

            "No, but you insulted her, not only as a proud woman, but as a proud magician.  You know your approval has always meant the world to her.  You, you pompous ass, just told her flat out that you didn't believe in her or her ability to do magic."

            "Oh."  The younger man blinked dumbly.

            "Oh?  Is that all you have to say?  She was only joking with you, but now I see that you really don't have the sense God or your parents, God rest their souls, gave you.  If it's not an incantation, spell, potion, or wand wave, you really don't have a brain.  Pull your head out of your ass and get your act together.  I pray she doesn't, but I wouldn't blame her if she left you for good.  Think about your priorities, I expect you at breakfast with a suitable apology, and a sizable gift."  With that pronouncement, Damien Reed left Clow in the hallway to think about his words.

            Later that night, after much tossing and turning, Clow fell into a restless sleep.  Plagued by nightmares and restless spirits it made for a long night.  Each nightmare pulled the magician deeper and deeper into sleeps embrace, holding him captive while the final dream played out.

            Clow, several years older than present, sat next to the bedside of a large canopied monstrosity.  At the center lay a woman, pale and weak looking, the rise and fall of her chest barely made the covers move, the soft gasps that were her breaths were barely audible.  All this was testimony that she would most likely not live to see the morning light.

            The tall magician's heart clenched in fear, even as his hand held the woman's fragile fingers, he dared not take his eyes off of her, lest he miss the final breaths.

            "Clow."  The wispy voice breathed.  "Please, don't stay here.  I don't want you to see me like this."  She paused her speech momentarily because of a coughing fit.  Sweat broke out over her forehead as she gasped for air.

            The elegant man carefully moved from the chair to the bed and scooped the frail body up into his arms, cradling her chill body against his warm one, pillowing her head on his muscular arm.

"Hush my love.  I won't leave you to go alone.  I'm with you in life, I'll hold you until it's time, then I'll find you again, either in death or in another life."  He said, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, even as his free hand smoothed the dark locks of hair from her face.

"Please, I beg you, leave me.  I want you to remember me as the girl who danced in shower of petals with you, not like this.  Not this wasted shell as I am now.  Please Clow, it's my final wish."  Silvery tears streaked down her cheeks.  "I want to be vibrant and beautiful to your memory for all time, not weak and lifeless.  Do this for me Clow.  Let me go to my fate alone."

Clow held her tightly to his chest, and buried his face in her hair, not to hide the tears that flowed freely, but to memorize the sent of her.  Even sick and near death, she still smelled like a new spring day.  "I cannot do this, a husband's place is always at his wife's bedside.  I promised to love you in sickness and in health, and I will not abandon you no matter how you plead with me."

Pain filled eyes lifted and gazed at the face she loved so well, "Clow?  Where's my necklace?  I know my time left is very limited, and I need to do something first."

"Which necklace did you need my love?"  Clow asked as he levitated the jewelry box to the bedside table.

"The one you gave me on our wedding night.  The one with the three strands of pearls."

Work roughened fingers nimbly sorted through the mass of jewelry in the box to find the right necklace, his first gift to his new bride.  The three strands seemed to glow in their pale roundness.  The strands of hand knotted matched pearls gathered together with one golden clasp at the back.  The smallest strand held a star made of citrine.  The second largest strand held a sun of cat's eye, and the largest held a glowing moon of moonstone.  

"I have it."  He said as he pulled it free.  "What would you like with it?"

"Give it to my son."  

"Daniel?"  Clow thought of their four year old boy who slept just down the hall.

"No, Yue."

"Yue?  Why do you want him to have this necklace?"

"Pearls."

"Pearls?  What do they have to do with it?"

A small smile graced her colorless lips.  "They're called tears of the moon.  Yue is of the moon.  Give this to him, tell him that these are the only tears the moon should shed.  Tell them…tell all my sons…and my daughters I shall always love them."

"I'll make sure the children at the shelters know."

            "Do not abandon Daniel…swear it."  The woman could feel herself getting weaker by the moment.

            "I would never abandon our child."  Clow stated firmly.

            "Swear it, swear you won't abandon Daniel!"

            "Calm yourself, please.  I swear I will not abandon Daniel."

            The woman smiled sweetly and slowly reached up a hand to caress his cheek.  "I love you, Clow."

            Clow smiled back at her.  "I love you too…"

            The woman's hand slipped from his cheek with a last gentle expiration of breath.

            "Millie!  Millie!  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

            Clow awoke, crying out just as he had in the dream.

            Moments later, Millicent threw open the door in panicked frenzy.  "Clow?  What's wrong?  Is everything alright?"

            Clow's only answer was to continue screaming.

            Frightened for her friend, Millicent raced to the bed and climbed up then pulled Clow's body towards her.  The shaking man collapsed against her and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist sobbing.

Damien and Keroberos both looked into the room, each worried about Clow in their own way.  The golden-eyed creature started into the room, only to be stopped by the elder Reed.

            "Let me go, the Master needs me."  He growled.

            "No, he needs Millie.  He always has, even if it was unconsciously."

            "I don't understand."

            "Come to the study with me, and I'll explain it to you."  Damien said as he slowly steered Kero away from the room, closing the door softly.

            "But the Master…"

            "Will be fine.  He's just had a rude awakening."  He replied, making sure the familiar followed.

            It took nearly a half of an hour before Clow had calmed down enough to speak, and even then it was ragged and difficult to understand.  It was this way Clow explained his nightmare to Millicent.

            "It hurt Millie, like I was really there, like it was really happening.  I was so scared; I didn't know what to do.  You stopped breathing.  I couldn't do anything, I didn't know what to do, and you stopped breathing."  Clow rambled, clutching tightly to the skirt of her nightgown.

            "Shhh, it's alight, it was just a dream.  A scary dream, but nonetheless just a dream.  I'm here now, I'm holding you, see?  I'm still breathing, I don't feel sick at all."  She said, stroking his hair tenderly.

            "You can't leave me like that Firefly, you can't.  It was horrible."

            Millicent couldn't give him the reassurance she knew he was looking for.  The night before her fourth birthday was the day she had the same dream Clow had just described.  That was the day she had childishly declared her intent to marry Clow.  

            The dream hadn't replayed itself the next night, or a week later.  It only came on the night of before her birthday.  She hadn't thought much of it for the first 2 years, but as they years progressed and she continued to have that exact dream, she realized it was not just a horrible childhood nightmare, but a premonition of the future.

            It was for that reason she never told anyone of the dream.  One, it was a rather unbelievable dream, two, it would have pushed the Reed family into arranging Clow's marriage to Millicent.  It as the last thing she wanted.  She wanted Clow to love her because his heart told him, not because his family forced him.  In the end it would have made him hate and despise her, not love and cherish her.

             "Millie?  Do you think it was a sign?"

            "A sign?  What do you mean?"

            Clow snuggled a bit closer to her warmth, trying to dispel the chill the dream left him with.  "You know, of the future.  That if I don't change things now, then that dream will come to be real, and I'll lose you."

            Tugging the covers up and around his shoulders, Millicent said, "I've never believed that you can change the future, only the present.  Even then some things are written in the stars and are unchangeable."

            "Do you think it'll come true, the dream?  I don't want it to.  I want to change that.  So you'll never leave me again."

            "Clow, before a month ago we'd been apart ten years."

            "I know, but it wasn't like I was never going to see you again.  I kept tabs on you, so I knew you were safe."

            "You had an investigator follow me around so I would be safe, and the bloody idiot never once mentioned I'd been searching for you?"  She near yelled in frustration.

            Clow blinked at her, it was the first cuss word she'd ever uttered.  He mentally filed that away for future blackmail purposes.

            "Not once did he mention it.  I think I need a new investigator.  He obviously doesn't know what he's doing."

            "Obviously.  I spend years looking for you and some fool taking your money couldn't even tell you I was searching.  Incompetence!"

            "Now now Firefly, calm down.  It's late, we've had a rough day, and I think we should sleep."

            "Speaking of rough days, you owe me an apology."

            "I know.  I didn't realize you were joking.  Not until Grandfather pointed it out to me.  I never would have said anything that horrible if I had known.  I thought you were being mean.  I truly am, from the bottom of my heart, sorry."

            Millicent mulled his apology over for a minute before mock glaring at him.  "You're too handsome to stay put out with, so I'll just have to forgive you."

            "That's my Millie.  Stay with me the rest of the night?"

            "Why not, saves on me coming back if you have another dream."  She said as she burrowed into the covers.

            Clow too burrowed into the covers and snuggled the warm feminine body tightly against his and buried his nose in her neck with a sigh.

            "Goodness."  Clow's new body pillow exclaimed.  "Is this better Majesty?"

            "Much."  Came the muffled reply.

            Clow fell asleep happily not long after that.  Millicent however lay wide-awake for some time, pondering why Clow had received the dream.  Her musings were cut short however when a slightly inebriated familiar came stumbling through the door and ungracefully plopped itself down on the foot of the bed, where it proceeded to snore loudly the rest of the night.

            The last of the Supinel line was quite happy she was a magic user when she cast a minor silence spell over the large cat.  Nodding the finality of it, she closed her eyes and fell right to sleep.

            "I will not have it!  By the Gods that girl had best be intact!  How could you let this happen Damien Reed?  Out of my way man, I'm putting an end to this stupidity."

            The door to the bedroom slammed open revealing a short and rather portly red-faced man shouting all manner of things.

            Clow and Millicent awoke immediately, momentarily disoriented.

            "Get your whoring self out of that bed!  Useless, brainless female!  Do you have any idea what you've done?  You're reputation is ruined!"  The man continued to shout as he stormed into the room.

            "Uncle Sabastien?"  Millicent asked, rather confused.  "What are you doing here?"

            "What am I doing here?  What AM I doing here?  I am saving you from yourself, now get out of that bed and go get yourself dressed."

            "Why?"

            "Don't question me young lady, get yourself dressed decent, you have to go downstairs and explain to your fiancé why you were in another man's bed."


	7. Explanation of the Roles

Author Note- Ok 2 chapters back I said chapter 7 would be a return to the present, however my plot bunnies are having a field day with this fic so chapter 8 will be the return.  Thanks for all the comments and such.  And for the comments I got on the message boards, the flashback is supposed to read like a cheesy romance novel. ^_^'

Chapter 7 

            "Fiancé?  What are you talking about Uncle?  There is only one man I've pledged to marry, and that's Clow."  Millicent replied indignantly. 

            "Your childhood infatuation with that lout has been tolerated long enough.  You will do your duty to the Supinel line and marry whom I choose to marry you to.  Now get out of that bed and get dressed, then make your apologies downstairs."  The irate man demanded, red faced and slightly out of breath. 

            "I reached my majority six months ago Uncle Sabastien, I don't have to answer to you, and you have no say in what I do."  Amber eyes flashed with malice. 

            "Be damned to you and your impertinent tongue!  I have legal guardianship over you until your wedding day or your twenty-fourth birthday.  As your precious Clow hasn't seen fit to place a ring on your finger, sign a declaration of intent or a betrothal contract, you are subject to what I say!" 

            "If you wanted to see the ring that bad, all you had to do was ask."  Clow stated, breaking his silence, and his vow to not be engaged before his thirtieth birthday. 

            "What?"  The portly man shouted in near apoplexy. 

            Clow levitated a delicate jewelry box from his dressing table and brought it to him.  Opening the intricately carved lid plucked a highly detailed ring from the top tray.  "My father had given this ring to my mother when he asked her to marry him, and so I offered it to Millicent two weeks ago when I asked her to become my wife.  She ever so graciously accepted." 

            Millicent was hard pressed to keep a neutral expression on her face as Clow slipped the ring on her finger, marveling at how it fit as if made for her and her alone. 

            "Two weeks?  I don't believe you!  I refuse to believe you!  You would have sent word to Damien, your solicitor, or that damned private investigator you have traipsing around the countryside." 

            "Are you questioning my word?  You are of little concern to me sir, as are your demands on my fiancé.  You will remove yourself from my house at once and never bother us again.  Are we quite clear on that matter?" 

            As Clow had spoken, a growling Keroberos padded closer to Millicent's uncle, with every intention of hurting the blustering fool if he angered his master any more. 

            "Call off your whatever it is, Clow.  I'll leave, but we are far from finished with this matter.  You had better have registered proof that she is your intended, or it won't stand in court."  The red faced fat man announced, slamming the bedroom door behind him, putting distance between himself and the winged lion. 

            Back on the bed, Millicent began to gently pry the ring from her finger. 

            "What are you doing?" Clow asked. 

            "It doesn't come off."  She tried tugging harder.

            "It won't come off no matter how hard you tug.  It's bespelled to stay on until the vows are spoken."  He replied heavily.

                "That makes no sense.  What if either one of you calls off, one of you dies, or something like this happens?  How do you get it off then?"

            "No one in the history of the Reeds has cried off, or died before the vows were spoken, and this situation has never occurred before."

            "Ask your Uncle, consult a journal, find…something that will help."

            "There is nothing Millie.  It doesn't come off till we're married, then it's replaced with out wedding rings."

            "That's horrible!  It's like forcing someone to marry."  Millicent exclaimed.

            "Reeds marry for love.  How else do you think an English Lord could marry a gypsy fortuneteller, and their son marries a Chinese diplomat's daughter?  Would it be that bad?"

            "Would what be bad?"

            "Marrying me."

            "Oh!  No Clow!  It wouldn't be bad at all.  You know how much I've always loved you."

            "Then why aren't you happier?"  He demanded.

            "It's just that I don't want to tie you down if you don't want it.  I know you swore you wouldn't marry before you turned thirty."

            "I wouldn't have put the ring on your finger if I didn't want it. I would have found another way."  Clow said, picking at the comforter.

            "You told Uncle Sabastien you filed the betrothal papers, when we both know you did not."

            Clow looked at her with his trademark smile, knowing she was done arguing the point.  "I need to create a card that will allow me to go back in time so I can change that."

            "Clow, you are not going to waste magic on some card.  Not only would it drain your magic, but you'd need a focus point on both ends, and make sure that you don't see yourself or change anything."

            "Don't worry Millie, I'm just going to go two weeks back, register our agreement and come back to you."

            "It's never as easy as you think."  The auburn haired girl pointed out.

            "So what are you saying?"  The spectacled man demanded.

            "I'm saying you have a habit of bungling your grand plans."

            "Your faith in my abilities lightens my heart."  He said facetiously.

            "Clow I'm serious."

            "So am I."

            "Clow, you blew up your conservatory three days before we left, all because you tried to turn all your flowers into stained glass."

            "I wanted to preserve their beauty forever.  Besides, I put it all back together."  He protested.

            "That's not the point Clow."  Millicent paused her attempts to persuade him and looked at him, only to find him pouting like a child denied a sweet.

            She chuckled and kissed his cheek.  "Silly old Clow."

            Clow smiled and tugged her into his lap and held her close to him. "I know I'm not the most eloquent man, you know I'm liable to blurt out something stupid than say something romantic.  I'm rude, absentminded, and on most days I'm the number one candidate for village idiot."

            "You can stop pointing out your finer qualities to me now, I'm sold on you."

            "Millie, I'm trying to be serious."  He sighed and adjusted his spectacles.

            "I know Clow, but I also know all your good and bad points, and I still love you."

            "If you would have let me finish, I did have a point to all of that."  He said, hugging her tight.

            "Oh, well continue then."

            "Thank you mistress."

            Millicent punched as hard as she could in the shoulder, but he remained smiling at her.  All she could do was sigh and wait for him to get to his point.

            "Now, to continue, where was I?"

            "You finished telling me how absent minded you are, and how you're the village idiot."

            "Ah, thank you, and I believe I said candidate."

            "Are you sure?"

            He growled at her momentarily.  "I am now."

            "Alright, alright, continue."

            "As I was saying, my idiot status is all but confirmed, but I won't shout at you unless you shout at me first.  I'll never raise a hand, wand, or object, in anger to you.  I'll never put any living woman above you.  I'll never give you more children than you and I can both handle.  I swear on my life that I'll try to make you happy."

            Amber eyes gazed into midnight blue with curiosity.  His speech, while touching in its honesty, seemed more ritualistic than sentimental.

            "There, that said, we can now go down for breakfast."

            "Clow?"

            "Yes?"  
            "Why did that seem rehearsed?"

            "Because it was.  It's something we Reed men are supposed to learn when we come of age.  When we settle the ring on our women's finger, we're supposed to list all our faults and promise to do out best to not only overcome our shortcomings, but protect, love, and cherish our women now in life and after."

            "That's very lovely Clow, but wouldn't it have been better to do that before you give her the ring?  This way she knows just exactly what kind of man she's getting."  Millicent asked of this particular Reed quirk.

            "One would think so, but when have we Reed's done anything that was normal.  I guess great-great-great-great grandfather thought it was best to tell her afterwards so she couldn't escape."  Clow said shrugging.

            "Only your ancestors would cook up something that odd."

            "Eccentric behavior is a pre-requisite for being in a magic family."

            "I know."

            "Well come on then, it's time for breakfast.  I promised Grandfather I would have apologized and have given you a sizable gift.  I think adding a granddaughter-in-law is acceptable."

            Millicent smiled and climbed out of bed, kissing Clow's cheek as she passed him on her way to her room.  "I'll meet you in the breakfast room in a few minutes."

            "So I have a half hour to wait before I see you again?"

            Millicent's reply was to magic his pillow to beat him in the head.

            Clow chuckled and endured the feather beating.


	8. Present Time Answers, and More Questions

AN- Finally done with this year of college. I really want to have the entire story written before I graduate next May. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out to you, but on a good note, I got chapters 8 written, but chapter 9 is only 3/4ths complete. I'm sorry if these chapters aren't as good as previous ones, but I had writers block like you wouldn't believe. Compile that with school and work and it's not a pretty picture. Let me know if you like it!  
A big thanks goes to everyone who replied, and a huge thanks goes to Dr. Megalomaniac for her review. My CCS fanfic idol wrote me a reply! WAIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaim-I lay claim to nobody that CLAMP can lay claim to  
  
"So your Uncle had you betrothed to some other guy?" Meiling interrupted.  
Millicent held the magic projection in freeze frame. "He did."  
"Are you sure he wasn't a Li?"  
  
The spirit chuckled. "I'm positive. He was very much French, and very greedy. The family of the man he betrothed me to paid him handsomely to secure me."  
"No offense," Xiao Lang spoke up, " but what's so special about you?"  
"Hey! Watch your mouth Gaki, that's my mother." Kero exclaimed.  
"Calm yourself Kero, I was not offended by his question."  
  
"I would be."  
"Yue, you're offended by everything." The yellow guardian snapped.  
"Urusai Keroberos." Yue shot back.  
"Please stop this." Millicent demanded.  
The squabbling guardians quieted down.  
"Thank you. Now I shall answer my descendant's question. It all comes down to money, influence, and magic. As the last of a long line of French nobles, my family had quite a lot of money. We preferred country life to that of the city, that is why my family escaped the Terror with all our possessions, long before the people of Paris thought to come for us."  
"Didn't your tenants or peasants sell them out?" Fujitaka asked, historically interested.  
"They would not do that. My family was good to our people. When we left, we left the land, the house, and a sum of money with the chief steward. They were happy, I'd assume. As to the other aspects that made me a prime catch, my family attached itself to the Reed's, a powerful and influential family, not just in the magical world."  
"We were cool like that."  
"Sure Eriol."  
"They were though. The Reed name carried clout, even though the official title had been lost decades before."  
"What title did you have?" Sakura asked Eriol.  
"Viscount Westmoreland." The young reincarnation replied.  
"Not a Duke or something fancy?" Meiling asked in that snooty, 'I'm better than you' tone.  
"No, nothing that fancy in the Reed family, though if the Supinel's had stayed in France I would have been a Duchess."  
Xiao Lang poked Eriol in the arm, "She had a better title than you."  
"Millie was better in nearly every way." It was Eriol's voice that spoke, but Clow's eyes that stared at Millicent.  
"What about the magic?" Tomoyo asked. "Why didn't they have a daughter or sister marry Clow Reed themselves?"  
"No, they wouldn't do that because not every magical family liked the Reeds. They wanted to take me away from him."  
"Not like that would have happened."  
"Indeed Kero."  
"What magic do you have?" The current card mistress asked.  
"Lunar magic. It balanced Clow's solar magic." The spirit said, fading slightly to conserve magic.  
"Like Kero and Yue, and Ruby and Suppi balance each other." Eriol stated.  
"Yin Yang theory." Xiao Lang pondered.  
"Exactly."  
"Mother talked about it, but she said I'd understand when I took my destiny." The little wolf said, deep in thought.  
"And do you understand it?" Millicent asked.  
"Aa, wakatta."  
"Good."  
"Hoe?" Sakura was confused; Xiao Lang had said the cards were his destiny, but she was the card mistress, what other destiny could he have?  
"You'll understand soon child."  
"Oh."  
"Were there any other questions before I continue?"  
"Actually, yes." Fujitaka spoke up.  
"What are they?"  
"Why did Clow have himself reincarnated into two souls?"  
"I don't know the answer to that. Clow's mind was a curious place."  
"Mother, that means that To-ya and Sakura are Clow's children, right?"  
"That is correct Yue. Li Xiao Lang is from my son's line, and Sakura is from Clow's new line. Just as any children Eriol has are also from Clow's line."  
"If I'm from Clow's line, that makes you my mother as well?" Sakura asked, her mind torn with indecision.  
"In a fashion, yes. However, Touya, I would not presume to take the place of your real mother."  
The brooding young man nodded his head in acceptance of the statement. He would accept no one that would try to replace his mother. Though he couldn't see her anymore, he could feel her presence, her love, and nothing could take that away.  
"Yue is having a relationship with Clow's son?" Mei Ling asked.  
"It wouldn't be the first time. Creepy bastard."  
"Keroberos, that's quite enough from you!"  
"Sorry mom."  
"What did Kero mean by "It wouldn't be the first time"?"  
"It will be explained in time Sakura."  
"If the stuffed animal was created before you came back into Clow's life, why does he call you mother?" Touya pondered.  
"I am not a stuffed animal!" A fuming Kero interjected.  
"He doesn't have a mother. Kero is entirely Clow's creation."  
"Then how could he go so easily to Sakura without residual feelings for his creator?" Touya asked.  
"You know his loyalty only goes as far as the pudding supply."  
"Not true!"  
  
"Yue be nice."  
  
"Don't hold your breath."  
  
"Kero-chan!"  
Millicent sighed and waited for the infighting to stop. The end was a long time in coming however, as Kero and Yue used this time to continue their ongoing feud.  
"Keroberos! Yue! Urusai!" Clow's voice from Eriol's body echoed through the room, quieting the shouting duo almost immediately.  
"Thank you Eriol."  
The young reincarnation nodded his acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving the magical form of his souls' wife.  
"Now that my sons are finished, I would like to answer To-ya's question. Any objections?"  
Yue and Keroberos had the decency to look ashamed of their actions.  
"Good. Now To-ya, the reason Kero went readily to Sakura is because he unconsciously recognized Clow's magic in her."  
"But she has her own magic. The power of the stars." Xiao Lang stated.  
"Indeed she does, but she still has a bit of her parents magic. Just as you have your own magic Xiao Lang, you also carry traces of your parents magic."  
"So magic is like a stream. It flows but is different."  
"Very intuitive Tomoyo."  
"But Mom, if I recognized Clow's magic in Sakura, how come Yue didn't?"  
"Because Yue had already recognized it in Touya. He refused to accept Sakura because he had already accepted To-ya."  
"That makes no sense though. If Sakura is card mistress, Yue had to recognize her."  
"No he didn't. You see, To-ya is first born and his magic more closely resembles Clow's, so he was immediately drawn to him."  
"Clow really messed everyone up seriously." Mei Ling said, still rather confused.  
"Clow was a very odd man, I'll give you that. I don't know why he did what he did."  
"If you died, how come you know so much about things that happened afterward?" Xiao Lang asked with a hint of suspiciousness.  
"When I sealed myself in the book, part of my consciousness went with my magic. I could hear and understand what was going on, but my magic was weak, that is why my sons and Clow didn't recognize it, and couldn't feel it."  
"Just because you're sealed away doesn't mean you don't know what's going on around you." Kero interjected, munching a cookie.  
"You didn't know a lot when you came out of the book, Kero-chan."  
"I was asleep for 30 years."  
"But that doesn't explain how you knew about my family line." Xiao Lang said.  
"It's in the magic, little wolf. You don't just carry Clow's magic, but my own. I know everything that happened to my son's line."  
"You keep saying my son, my line, my family. Why?" Fujitaka asked, not having all of Clow's memories, and was generally curious.  
"My son disinherited himself from Clow about ten years after my death."  
"So that explains the decade gap in the library, the elders never could explain that."  
"What do you mean Xiao Lang?"  
"There's a gap in Clow's library that starts after her human son turned four, and picks up after he left at fourteen. No explanation or anything. His journals don't even mention you or anything, just brief mentions of a woman making him happy and giving him a son."  
"Clow was very private, even in his writings. He only ever wrote me three letters that expressed his feelings for me." The spirit smiles softly. "He preferred to express with actions rather than words, considering he frequently said the wrong thing at the wrong time."  
"But why would he do that? Why would your son disinherit himself from the Reeds?" Mei Ling demanded.  
"If you are patient, I will tell you. Now to continue my story." Millicent said as she unfroze the magic movie.  
  
Owari Chapter 8 


	9. Problems and Wedding Plans

Longer author's note - Some people have been wondering just where the hell I came up with this storyline and how it can pertain to the Card Captor Sakura series and manga.  For those of you that have the manga, the scene I got my inspiration from can be found easily in Card Captor Sakura: Master of the Clow, pages 40-43.  Yes that is Nadeshiko, but you'll understand more later as the chapters progress.

Thanks everyone that replied to the last chapter I posted, and now onto the story.  Special thanks again goes to Dr. Megalomania for just inspiring me to get another chapter out.  Hopefully I can use this as a bribe for the next chapter of her epic In This Tainted Soul, Find Redemption.  If you haven't read it yet, or the earlier stories, I suggest you do so.  The stories are fantastic, and you'll understand just why I'm being shameless about begging for more.  See, see Dr. M?  Shameless plug, and it's all for you. 

Disclaimer-I can only lay claim to Millie, various servants and assorted extras, and this storyline.  I'm most certainly not making any money out of this fiction.  

Chapter 9- Problems and Wedding Plans

When Millicent descended the stairs, it was not more than eight minutes after leaving Clow's room.

Clow smirked as she flounced into the breakfast room, knowing she spelled herself into her morning gown.  Spotting that she neglected to do her hair in her haste to prove him wrong.  Millie had always been easy to provoke when she was younger, and she evidently still was.

Not to say that Clow didn't appreciate her preparation, but good-natured teasing never hurt anyone.

"So nice of you to join us Firefly."  He needled.

Fuming, the auburn haired woman slipped into a chair, ignoring Clow.  "Good morning Grandfather."

Damien Reed chuckled; things were progressing well with his charges.  Millicent, having grown up for the most part in the Reed household, was as much his grandchild as Clow was.

"Good morning my dear."  Came the older man's reply.

Reaching for a croissant, Millicent felt something nudge her leg through her voluminous skirts, and then a blast of hot air startled her.

"Clow!  She's got no knickers on under here!"

"KEROBEROS!"  Amber eyes hardened with indignation, as her gaze settled on the guardian's owner.

"I didn't do it!  I swear!"  Clow cried out in defense, just as shocked at Kero as Millicent was.

"Your guardian, your problem."  Anger had stiffened her spine to ramrod straight.  It was unseemly for this behavior to come from a creation, regardless if it was given free thought and thin boundaries.

"She has a point son, go discipline your guardian and come back."  The elder Reed agreed.

"Indeed…Come along Keroberos."  Clow said as he pushed his chair back from the table.

"But Clow…" The feline interjected.

"No pudding if you continue your protesting."

"If it's your pudding, I don't want it."  Came the snappish comeback.

"You're forbidden to leave the wine cellar for today."  
            "Aw, but Clow…" That was the worst thing Clow could do to his guardian, deny him sunlight for the day and he might learn to listen better.

"Move Keroberos."

The yellow lion slunk out of the room, followed by a very unhappy looking Clow.

"I'm sorry about that my dear."  The Reed family head said as he used his telekinesis to close the door behind the two going out.

"It's alright, I was more startled than anything.  I really expected more from him and his guardian."  Millicent said as she settled back down in her seat.

"Keroberos is unruly with words, I don't understand it."

The girl picked up a roll and drenched the inside with butter and honey.  "I understand it all too well.  Clow gave him all the impulses and childishness that he wished he could still act upon."

Meanwhile, in the wine celler, Clow was reciting an incantation.  Weaving a spell over the lion to change him.  Leaving the guardian to act and respond the same, but removing the undesirable impulses of impetuous youth, the ones that are unacceptable in public and married life.

When Clow finished the incantation, he "felt" his creation and realized the intricate differences.

Kero would never realize anything was different, but Clow would, and it saddened and scared him.  He hadn't thought it would be so easy to change the makeup of a living creature, especially one close to him.  To be able to change the very things that make something live, it was frightening.

The eccentric magician shuddered with the thought that he could most likely do it with people as well.  He would never tell another soul of his power, never write the spell out.  One more thing to take to the grave.  It was just too dangerous; if it fell into the wrong hands it could change the course of history.

When he returned to the breakfast room, he looked grimmer than when he had left.

"Clow?  Is everything alright?"  His fiancé asked, infinitely concerned.

All the young man could do was shake his head no as he retook his seat.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No Millie, I'll never want to talk about it."

"Oh, alright."  A muffin absorbed her focus as she felt pain, anger, and confusion rolling off him in waves.

"Are you alright though Millie?  Kero still isn't used to you being around, and it was my fault he acted the way he did."  
            "I'm fine Clow.  I was just startled and a little upset.  Is Kero all right?  I'll talk to him later."

"He's alright, but he'll never be the same again."

Damien frowned at that comment, but refrained from asking for an explanation.

The remainder of breakfast was a tense affair, until the morning mail arrived.  The silver salver the butler arrived with was overflowing with cards and envelopes.  Few were addressed to Damien, and those being from his close-knit circle of friends and his solicitor.   The rest were addressed to Clow.

The young bespectacled magician gaped at the mound of paper in front of him.  Millicent, having been raised to become a wife took the pile and began opening envelopes and sorting through things that required immediate attention, and things that could wait a few hours.

"Clow," the young woman said while reading over various invitations. "I suggest you leave the woman things to me, and go fix the problem."

"The problem?"  Clow asked dumbly, his brain still roiling around the problem he had just fixed and created for himself.

"Yes Clow," Amber eyes caught his gaze over the top of a card, "the problem."

"Oh!  Yes!  The problem.  I'll go fix that right away."  Glad to leave the mound of papers that had nothing to do with magic, and leave the room completely, Clow bolted from his chair and out of the room.

The younger Reed was glad to shut himself in his room and pursue his favorite thing, creating a new card.  Before he could do that however, he had to draw up and sign betrothal papers.

Legal work was best left to those who could understand it, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Clow was desperate.  As much as he and Millicent fought, he couldn't bear to see her on the arm of another man. 

There weren't many magical families in England, even less in London proper, and of those families he recalled very few that had males of marriageable age now.  A shudder worked its way down his spine as he recalled one family.  That family and the Reed family had been at odds for too many years to count.  They were cruel, and ugly down to their rotten black souls. But they were rich, far richer than the Reeds, though only slightly less talented in the magical arts.  They would do anything; give anything, to bring about the downfall of their rival.  Including making a compact with deposed French nobility.

The Deverford family, heirs of the ducal lands of Cornwall, could trace their family back to before the Norman's even thought of crossing the Channel.  They had always been known as liars, cheats, and thieves.  Doing only for the good of themselves, never for others.

Clow worked on the agreement as hard as he would work on his magic.  He would make sure Millie would never fall into their hands.

Hours later the whimsical magician thundered down the stairs, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Millie!"

The soon to be Mrs. Reed ran out of the study as fast as her satin slippered feet could take her.  "Saints above Clow, what's wrong?"

Clow thrust the document and a quill in her direction.  "Sign it quick.  I need to get this to my solicitor, post haste."

Millie took the document to a side table and signed her name with a flourish.  "You found a spell that can reverse time?"

"Better, I finished the card that will transport me back in time."  
            "Clow!  I told you that was dangerous, you need a focal point on both ends or you'll be lost in the time stream."

Ocean blue bore into whiskey sunlight as he grabbed her arms.  "Millie, if I don't get this document there two weeks past, you won't be marrying me, you'll be marrying Lucius Deverford, Duke of Cornwall."

A tiny gasp and a widening of her eyes was all Millicent could manage in reaction.  

The Duke, the Dark Duke, her Uncle Sabastien had sold her to the devil himself.

"Do you understand why I have to use the card now?  I'll never let him get his hands on you, never!  I swear it."

Millicent leaned into Clow's broad chest and soaked in a bit of his masculine strength.  "I pledged myself to you when I was four Clow.  Nothing will come between us."

The dark haired man enfolded her calming femininity into him.  "I won't let it Firefly.  I won't let anything come between us ever again.  To ensure that I have to go with this document."

"Use me as your focal point.  I was at the market two weeks ago, not more than two blocks from the solicitor's office."

Clow kissed her briefly, not more than a peck on the lips.  "I'll be back soon, so you can pester me with all your female trivialities."

"Clow!"

His eyes danced with laughter.  "Shine bright for me Firefly.  Be my beacon."

"Always."

Clow lifted the leather cord his key hung upon and spoke the incantation to release its full power, then tossed the card in the air and pointed the staff at it.  "Card of Clow, I command that you send me two weeks into the past, to the day Millicent went to market!  Return!"

And with a swirl of golden power, Clow was gone.  

Millicent stood in the hall, pale and shaking.  Focal points require vast amounts of magic to be able to remain constant.  Time spells always sap magic quickly, and in mass quantity.  The sudden use of almost all her stored power left her cold and sick feeling.  She only hoped that he would remain in the past long enough for her to recover some of her strength, or he might not be able to return.

_Two weeks prior, at the market._

The Return card left Clow in an alleyway some two blocks from the solicitor's office, just as Millicent had said.

He cautiously peeked around the corner, taking care not to be spotted, as he wasn't supposed to be here.

He spotted the Millie of two weeks ago easily.  She was the most beautiful woman in town.  Her mass of unruly hair also helped make the identification.  What startled him most about her appearance was the swarm of ratty looking street children clamoring around her.

She did not act as most highborn ladies would and ignore them, or call for the constable to have them removed.  His Millie stood there and handed out sweet treats and a few coins to every child.  His Millie stooped down to pick up a crying baby, uncaring that the dirt that covered it was ruining her dress.

Millie and her throng of tiny orphans marched into the tailor shop and marched out in new clothing.  From new shirts to new shoes, every orphan got clothing, a hug, and money for a hot meal.

His heart melted at her loving smile.  She was so much better than he was, and didn't complain, much.

Shaking himself out of the daze, Clow marched out of the alley and down the two blocks to the solicitor's office.

The assistant was all too eager to show Clow directly into the office and close the door behind him.

Jonas Johnson Esq. had been the Reed family lawyer for the past twenty years.  At nearly fifty-eight years old, he had served four generations of Reed men.  Seeing the fourth generation walk in with purpose in his stride gave him hope that he would live to see the fifth generation be born.

The Reeds may not have been as powerful or influential as they had been in earlier years, but they were no less kind or generous.  They were the kind of people you bent over backwards to help.  Eccentric though they may be, they were a cut above the upper crust.

"What can I do for you Mr. Reed?"  The aging solicitor said as he attempted to rise from his chair.

"Please, don't get up on my account.  My business won't take long."

"What kind of business is it?"

"I came to give to you and register with you, my betrothal agreement."

"And who might be the lucky lady?"

"Millicent Suppinel."

"It's about damn time boy."

Clow smiled.  The Johnson's were more like family than lawyer and client.  That was the only reason Clow wasn't offended.

Present time 

Millicent sat in the study trying to regain her composure.  Sipping a cup of tea with extra honey, she tried to go through the mound of invitations and calling cards.  The cold empty feeling that accompanied the magic drain refused to leave her.

A knock came at the door to the drawing room.

"Come in."

A servant opened the door and curtsied.  "Beggin yer pardon miss, but there be a gentleman caller."

"Ask him to leave a card and I will get back to him.  I am not up to sociable company right now."  The soon to be Mistress of the house said without looking up from the correspondence.

"Ma'am, he's no' the type ta take no fer an answer."

"And who pray tell is this gentleman that wouldn't accept that answer from a lady?"

"Pardon the intrusion Mademoiselle Supinel, but I felt that I must plead my case in person, rather than going through the usual formalities that would take weeks to go around."

Millie couldn't help the gasp of surprise that came when she saw who had darkened her doorstep.  Lucius Deverford, the Dark Duke himself stood in the doorway.

"Your Grace, your presence is unexpected.  Especially since we have not been formally introduced, and my fiancé is not home."  She prayed the set down for his breech of etiquette would be enough to have him leave for the time being.

The smoky gray eyes of the Duke seemed to penetrate her soul with just a glance.  It unnerved her to no end.

"My dear, you are misinformed.  I am your fiancé, not that useless two-bit slight of hand Reed.  Your Uncle assured me that the court jester of magicians had no legal claim on you, and as your Uncle is your guardian and has signed the papers binding you to me, I have come to claim you."

Another Chapter added.  Sorry about the wait.  The next chapter may be longer in coming, I'm graduating in May and I have a lot of work to do.  Hopefully I'll have the next chapter done in a month, but no guarantees.  

Ja ne!


	10. Chapter 10

To all my dear readers, thank you for you kind words and praises over the years. I realize it's been a decade since I last updated this story, but back then nobody was reading it and honestly I've gotten more reviews and favorites in the past year than I did when the story first came out.

I just wanted to let you know that I do have more of The Reed Legacy written and I will be posting it soon.

Thanks again to you all.


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